Jack Rabbit Chess Report (September 13): Kosteniuk, Hou to play for women's title

[Jack Rabbit]

Kosteniuk and Hou to play for Women's World Championship in Nalchik



The final round of the Knock Out Tournament to name the Women's World Chess Champion begins tomorrow in Nalchik in the north Caucasus Kabardino-Balkaria region of Russia with Russian GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and 14-year-old Hou Yifan of China competing.

The reigning champion, Xu Yuhua of China, was knocked out in the second round last week.

Ms. Hou had to go to a tiebreak round yesterday to defeat the second-ranked woman in the world, India's Koneru Humpy, after the two divided their regulation games at 1 win each. Ms. Kosteniuk, one of the most photogenic women on the chess tour, defeated the legendary Pia Cramling of Sweden with a win and a draw to reach the final match.


Hou Yifan and Alexandra Kosteniuk
.com

While the first five rounds consisted of two games each and any necessary tiebreaks, the final round will be decided by a four-game match, with one game played each day through Wednesday and any necessary tiebreaks on Thursday.

This is the second time Ms. Kosteniuk has reached the final round of the Women's Knock Out Championship. Ms. Kosteniuk lost the 2001 event in December 2001 to Zhu Chen, then of China and now of Qatar.

Should Ms. Hou win the match, she will become the youngest women's world champion ever, a distinction now held by Georgian (then Soviet) grandmaster Maia Chiburdanidze, who was 17 when she won the title from Nona Gaprindashvili in 1977. Ms. Chibudanidze, still a strong player in her forties, was invited to compete in Nalchik but declined with the other Georgian invitees and five other players in protest of the Russian invasion of Georgia.


Topalov wins in Bibao



Former FIDE world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria took first place in the FIDE Grand Slam final in Bilbao, Spain, with a last-round victory over Ukrainian GM Vassily Ivanchuk just a few minutes ago.

Topalov scored 17 points in the unique scoring system used at Bilbao (3 points for a win, 1 for a draw). Topalov won 4, drew 5 and lost 1 in 9 rounds.

Second and third place will depend on the outcome of the game between Armenian GM Levon Aronian and Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan, which is still in progress. If Aronian avoids loss, he finishes a clear second; otherwise, he ties for second with 17-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen. After 32 moves, Radjabov, playing Black, appears better but the game is by no means decided.


Timofeev leads Russian Higher League



Grandmaster grandmaster Artyom Timofeev leads the Russian Higher League Tournament, a qualifying event for the Russian National Championship to be held in December, in Novokuznetsk in central Siberia with 7½ points in the first ten rounds.

Grandmasters Nakita Vitiugov and Ernesto Inarkiev are tied for second with 7 points each.

The final round will be played tomorrow at 1 pm local time, which is Saturday night at 10 pm PDT. Timofeev need only avoid loss to assure himself of a share of first prize. He will play Black against Konstinin Sakaev, who is tied for fourth with 6½ points. Inarkiev will have White agaist Vitiugov.

Tomorrow's games will be broadcast live tonight on the ]link:www.rcc2008.org/eng/index.htm|official tournament website].



Calendar


Anand-Kramnik World Championship Match, Bonn October 14-November 2. Twelve rounds.

European Club Cup, Kallithea (Greece) 16-24 October.

Asian Championships, Tehran 21-30 October.

Chess Olympiad, Dresden 12-25 November.

Topalov-Kamsky World Championship Semifinal Match, Lvov 26 November-15 December. Eight Rounds.

FIDE Grand Prix, Doha 13-29 December.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This week's games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Chess Mérida, a true type font that can be downlaoded free here.

BLACK
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White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Ushenina - Kosteniuk, Quarter-final Round, Nalchik

Alexandra Kosteniuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Anna Ushenina - Alexandra Kosteniuk[br />FIDE Knock Out Women's Championship, Quarter-Final Round/Game 2
Nalchik, 8 September 2008

East India Game: Nimzo-Indian Defense (Noa Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d5

• For theory concerning 4...0-0, see Shen Yang-Zhao Xue from last week.

5.cxd5

• If 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4 7.Qc2 c5 8.dxc5 Nc6 then:
• If 9.cxd5 exd5 10.Nf3 then:
• 10...Bf5 11.b4 0-0 12.Bb2 b6 13.b5 bxc5 14.bxc6 Qa5+ 15.Nd2 Rab8 16.Rd1 d4 17.c7 Qxc7 18.Nxe4 Bxe4 19.Qd2 Rfe8 20.h4 Rb6 21.Rh3 Qb7 is equal (Grigorian-Gulko, Zonal, Vilnius, 1975).
• 13.Qa4 Qc7 14.e3 bxc5 15.Bb5 Bd7 is equal (Bronstein-Balashov, Minsk, 1963).
• 10...Qa5+ 11.Bd2 Qxc5 12.Qxc5 Nxc5 13.e3 Nb3 14.Rd1 Nxd2 15.Rxd2 Be6 16.Bb5 Ke7 17.0-0 Rhc8 is equal (Konstaninopolsky-Veresov, Soviet Ch ½-final, Moscow, 1947).
• If 9.e3 Qa5+ 10.Bd2 Nxd2 11.Qxd2 dxc4 then:
• 12.Bxc4 Qxc5 13.Rc1 Qg5 14.f4 Qh4+ 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Ke7 17.Nf3 Bd7 18.Rhd1 Rhd8 19.Bb5 Rac8 20.Ke2 Be8 draw (Szabo-O'Kelly, IT, Mar del Plata, 1948).
• 12.Qxa5 Nxa5 13.Rc1 b5 14.cxb6 Bb7 15.bxa7 Ke7 16.Ne2 Rxa7 17.Nc3 Rb8 18.Na2 Bd5 19.Nb4 Nc6 20.Nxc6+ Bxc6 21.Rxc4 Ba4 22.Rb4 Rxb4 23.axb4 Bb5 24.f3 Ra1+ 25.Kf2 Rb1 26.b3 draw (L'Ami-Adams, Staunton Mem, London, 2008).

5...exd5 6.Bg5 c5

• If 6...h6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 0-0 10.e3 then:
• 10...c6 11.Nf3 Bf5 12.Be2 Nd7 13.0-0 Qd6 14.b4 Bg4 15.a4 a6 16.h3 Bh5 17.Rfc1 Rfc8 18.b5 c5 19.bxa6 bxa6 20.Qa3 Qf6 21.dxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Shulman-Perelshteyn, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• 10...Bf5 11.Ne2 Rc8 12.Ng3 Be6 13.b4 a5 14.Be2 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1+ 16.Qxa1 Qe7 17.Qc3 Qd6 18.0-0 Nc6 19.b5 Ne7 20.Ra1 gives White the advantage in space (Seirawan-Portisch, IT, Rotterdam, 1989).

7.dxc5

• 7.a3 Bxc3+ 8.Qxc3 c4 9.g3 0-0 10.Bg2 Nc6 11.e3 Be6 12.Ne2 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.b3 b5 15.0-0 Rfd8 16.bxc4 bxc4 17.Rfb1 Rab8 18.Nf4 Rxb1+ 19.Rxb1 g5 20.Ne2 Bg4 21.Qd2 Bxe2 22.Qxe2 Qd6 23.Rb5 Ne7 24.e4 is equal (Kiriakov-Ward, Op, Isle of Man, 2000).

7...h6 8.Bh4 g5

• 8...Nc6 9.e3 g5 10.Bg3 Ne4 11.Nf3 Qa5 12.Nd2 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 14.Rb1 Qxc5 15.Rb5 Qa3 16.Rb3 Bxd2+ 17.Qxd2 Qa5 18.Qxa5 Nxa5 19.Rb5 Nc6 20.h4 g4 21.h5 d4 22.e4 0-0 23.Kd2 b6 is equal (Eljanov-Farago, Rapid Op, Mainz, 2008).

9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 Qa5 11.Be5

• If 11.Nge2 Bf5 12.Be5 0-0 13.Nd4 Re8 14.Bxb8 then:
• If 14...Nxc3 then:
• 15.Nxf5 e4+ 16.Kd1 Raxb8 17.f3 Nf6 18.Bd3 Bxc5 draw (Sundararajan-Villavicencio. Op, 2006).
• 15.Qxf5 Ne4+ 16.Kd1 Raxb8 17.Bd3 Bxc5 18.Nb3 Qb6 19.Rc1 Bf8 20.Rc2 Bg7 21.Ke2 Rbd8 is equal (Kilpi- Maki-Uuro, Op, Jyvaskyla (Finland), 2006).
• 14...Bg6 15.Bc7 Qxc7 16.Bd3 Bxc5 17.Bxe4 dxe4 is equal (Bareev-Topalov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2004).

11...0-0 12.Bd3 Nc6 13.Bxe4 Nxe5 14.Bh7+

• 14.Bxd5 Bg4 15.Nf3 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 17.gxf3 Rac8 Black wins back one pawn and has sufficient compensation for the other (Palo-Ward, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2001).

14...Kg7 15.Bd3 b6!?

• 15...d4 16.exd4 Bxc3+ 17.bxc3 Nxd3+ 18.Qxd3 gives White the advantage in space, but it is risky to leave the King exposed in center like this.(I. Sokolov-Short, Op, Wijk aan Zee, 1995).

16.cxb6?

• White goes pawn hunting when she should be more concerned about the safety of her King.
• On the principle of King safety, 16.Nge2 bxc5 17.0-0 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 with equality looks a lot better.

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk
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WHITE: Anna Ushenina
Position after 16.cb6:p

16...d4!!

• Black sacrifices a third pawn and opens the center, leading to the neglected King.
• If 16...Bxc3+ then 17.bxc3 axb6 18.Ne2 Bg4 19.0-0 solves White's problems.

17.exd4

• 17.Be4 fails against 17...dxc3! 18.b3 else comes 18...cxb2+, winning immediately.18...Ba6 19.Nf3 Nxf3+ 20.Bxf3 Rad8 when White is busted.

17...Nxd3+ 18.Qxd3

• The smoke clears leaving White three pawns to the good, but her King is caught in the center.

BLACK: Alexandra Kosteniuk
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WHITE: Anna Ushenina
Position after 18.Qc2d3:N

18...Re8+!

• Black, although three pawns down, launches a fierce attack.

19.Kd1

• If 19.Nge2? Ba6 then:
• If 20.Qe3 then Black wins after axb6 21.0-0 Rxe3 22.fxe3 Bxc3 23.Nxc3 Bxf1.
• If 20.Qf3 then Black wins by 20...Rxe2+ 21.Kd1 Rxb2.

19...Bf5 20.Qd2

• If 20.Qc4 Rac8 21.Qb3 Rxc3!! 22.bxc3 Qa6 23.cxb4 then Black mates as follows: 23...Qf1+ 24.Kd2 Qxf2+ 25.Ne2 Qxe2+ 26.Kc1 Rc8+ forcing White to intervene her Queen before she is mated.

20...Bxc3 21.Qxc3 Qxb6 22.Ne2

• If 22.d5+ Kh7 23.Nf3 Rad8 then:
• If 24.Nd2 Rxd5 25.Re1 Rc8 26.Qe3 Qxb2 27.Ke2 Re8 then:
• 28.Rad1 Bd3+ 29.Kf3 Qf6+ Black can take the Queen at will.
• After 28.Qxe8 Bd3+ 29.Kf3 Qf6+ Black soon delivers mate.
• If 24.Qd2 then 24...Qb5 25.Re1 Rxd5 26.Rxe8 Rxd2+ 27.Nxd2 Qxe8 is curtains.

22...Rac8 23.Qa3 Rc2 24.Re1

• If 24.Qb3 then 24...Rexe2 25.Qxb6 axb6 26.a4 Rxf2 is lights out.

24...Rd8 25.Qe3 Qxb2 26.Rc1 Re8 0-1

• White must surrender the Queen or submit to mate.
• IM Ushenina resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Hou Yifan - Koneru, Semi-Final Round, Nalchik

Hou Yifan
Photo: ChessBase.com


Hou Yifan - Koneru Humpy
FIDE Knock Out Women's Championship, Semi-Final Round/Game 1
Nalchik, 10 September 2008

Spanish Grand Royal Game: Breyer Defense

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8

• This curious-looking move initiates the Breyer Defense. Black will redeploy the Knight to d7, where it will fortfy the pawn at e5.

10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 c5

• If 12...Re8 then:
• If 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Ng3 g6 then:
• If 15.a4 c5 16.d5 then:
• If 16...c4 17.Bg5 then:
• If 17...h6 then:
• If 18.Be3 Nc5 19.Qd2 h5 20.Bg5 Be7 21.Ra3 then:
• If 21...Rb8 then:
• If 22.Kh1 Nh7 23.Be3 Bf6 then:
• 24.Rea1 Bg7 25.Qe2 Bc8 26.Nf1 gives White a fine game (Inarkiev-Kamsky, Grand Prix, Baku, 2008).
• 24.Nf1 Bg7 25.Qe2 Qc7 draw (V. Popov-Khalifman, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 22.axb5 axb5 23.Rea1 Nh7 24.Be3 Qc7 25.Qd1 Ra8 26.Ra7 Rxa7 27.Rxa7 gives White the advantage in space (Quezada-Blanco, Cuban Ch, Santa Clara, 2007).
• 21...Nfd7 22.Be3 Qc7 23.Qe2 Nb6 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Nh2 Nbd7 27.Qd1 draw (S. Zhigalko-Khairullin, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2008).
• If 19...Kh7 then:
• 20.Nh2 Bg7 21.Rf1 Qe7 22.Rae1 Nxa4 23.Bxa4 bxa4 24.f4 exf4 25.Rxf4 Nd7 26.Ref1 Rf8 27.Bd4 Ne5 28.Ng4 Nxg4 29.Bxg7 Kxg7 30.Rxg4 Kh7 31.Rgf4 Bc8 32.Rf6 is equal (Borriss-Lindfeldt, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• 20.Ra3 Nfd7 21.Nh2 Bg7 22.Rea1 Qc7 23.Qc1 Nb6 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rxa8 Rxa8 26.Rxa8 draw (Luther-Acs, World TT, Yerevan, 2001).
• 17...Bg7 18.Qd2 Nc5 19.Nh2 h5 20.Nf3 Qc7 21.Ra3 Rab8 22.Bh6 Bh8 23.Rea1 gives White a small advantage in space (Kuzmin-Spassky, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1973).
• If 16...Nb6 17.Qe2 Nxa4 18.Bxa4 bxa4 19.Rxa4 then:
• 19...Nd7 20.c4 Nb6 21.Ra3 a5 22.Bg5 f6 23.Bd2 a4 24.Nh2 Bc8 is equal (Ljubojevic-Gligoric, IT, Milan, 1975).
• 19...Bc8 20.b3 Re7 21.Bg5 Bg7 22.Qe3 Qf8 23.Qd3 h6 24.Bd2 Nh7 25.c4 Rb7 draw (Balashov-Smejkal, IT, Leningrad, 1977).
• If 15.b3 c6 16.Bg5 Bg7 17.Qd2 Qe7 18.a4 Qf8 19.Rad1 then:
• 19...Rac8 20.Bd3 h6 21.Be3 Rcd8 22.Qa2 Ra8 23.Bc1 Re6 24.Qd2 Qb8 25.c4 bxa4 26.bxa4 Re8 27.Bb2 draw (Motylev-Grigoriants, Russian Ch semif, Tomsk, 2006).
• 19...Rad8 20.Be3 h6 21.Qc1 Kh7 22.b4 Re6 23.Qb1 d5 24.dxe5 Nxe4 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.Nxe4 Nxe5 27.Nfg5+ hxg5 28.Nxg5+ Kg8 29.Nxe6 Rxd1 30.Qxd1 fxe6 31.Bd4 gives Whitee a slight advantage in space; the material is balanced but asymmetrical (Carlsen-Pruijssers, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2007).
• If 13.b4 Bf8 14.a4 then:
• If 14...Nb6 15.a5 Nbd7 16.Bb2 then:
• If 16...Qb8 then:
• 17.Rb1 c5 18.bxc5 dxc5 19.dxe5 Nxe5 20.Nxe5 Qxe5 21.c4 Qf4 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.cxb5 Red8 24.Qc1 Qc3 25.Nf3 Qxa5 26.Bb3 axb5 27.Qf4 gives Black an extra pawn and White a fierce initiative (Fischer-Spassky, World Ch, Reykjavik, 1972).
• 17.c4 bxc4 18.Ba4 c6 19.Nxc4 Qc7 20.Rc1 Rac8 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Qb3 is equal (Savon-Mukhin, Soviet Ch, Moscow 1972).
• 16...Rb8 17.Rb1 Ba8 18.Ba1 g6 19.c4 exd4 20.cxb5 axb5 is equal (Planinc-Spassky, IT, Amsterdam, 1973).
• 14...a5 15.axb5 axb4 16.Bb2 bxc3 17.Bxc3 c6 draw (Kavalek-Portisch, IT, Wijk aan Zee 1969).

13.d5 g6 14.Nf1 Nh5

• 14...Qc7 15.Bh6 Rfb8 16.g4 Bf8 17.Qd2 Bxh6 18.Qxh6 Qd8 19.Ng3 Qf8 20.Qe3 c4 21.Nd2 Nc5 22.b4 cxb3 23.axb3 gives White a small advantage in space (Kosteniuk-I. Sokolov, Rapid Op, Mainz, 2005).

15.Bh6 Re8 16.b3 Bf8!?

• The novelty is good for equality.
• 16...Bf6 17.a4 Bg7 18.Bg5 Qc7 19.g3 Nhf6 20.Qd2 Nb6 21.Ne3 h5 22.a5 Nbd7 23.Ng2 Nh7 24.Be3 Ndf6 25.c4 Bc8 26.Kh2 bxc4 27.bxc4 Bd7 28.Ng1 Rab8 29.Reb1 Kh8 30.f3 Ng8 31.Ne2 draw (Hartston-Gligoric, Euro ChT, Bath, 1973).

17.Be3

• 17.Bxf8 Rxf8 18.Ne3 Nf4 19.Kh2 Qa5 20.Qd2 remains equal.

17...Nb6 18.a4 bxa4

• 18...Bg7 19.axb5 axb5 20.Qe2 Ba6 21.N3d2 Nf4 22.Qf3 remains equal.

19.bxa4 Nc4 20.a5 Bc8

• 20...Nxe3 21.Nxe3 Rb8 22.Nc4 Nf4 23.Ba4 Re7 remains equal.

21.N3d2!?

• White poffers a pawn (indeed, Black is almost forced to take it).
• 21.Qe2 Nxe3 22.Qxe3 Rb8 23.Qd2 Nf4 remains equal.

21...Nxa5 22.Ra3 Bd7?

• This removes protection from the pawn at a6..
• 22...Nb7 23.Qe2 a5 24.Ba4 Bd7 25.Nc4 Bxa4 26.Rxa4 remains equal.

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 22...Bc8d7

23.Qa1!

• White wins back the pawn.
• If 23.Qe2 Nf4 24.Bxf4 exf4 25.Rea1 then:
• White is better after 25...Bg7 26.Qf3 Nb7 27.Rxa6 Rxa6 28.Rxa6 Qf6 29.Rb6.
• 25...Nb7?! 26.Rxa6 Rxa6 27.Qxa6 Bc8 28.Qc6 Re7 29.Ra8 gives White an excellent game.

23...Nb7 24.Rb1!

• The attack on the hanging Knight gives White no time to protect her a6 pawn.
• White's plan is to move her heavy pieces to the queenside, where Black has voluntarily weakended herself, and pentrate to attack other weak points, such as the pawn at d6..

24...Qc7 25.Rxa6

• White takes the pawn.
• 25.Nc4 Bb5 26.Rxb5! axb5 27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.Qxa8 bxc4 gives White more activity,

25...Rxa6 26.Qxa6 Nd8

• 26...Rb8 27.Nc4 Nf4 28.Bxf4 exf4 29.Qa7 Bg7 30.Na5 sets up White to win the exchange.

27.Nc4 f5 28.Qb6 Qxb6
BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 28...Qc7b6:Q

29.Nxb6

• The exchange of Queens does not break White's initiative.

29...f4

• Black is busted. The best she can do now is lose a pawn.
• 29...Nf6 30.Bg5 Nxe4 31.Bxe4 Nf7 32.Bf6 Bc8 33.Bc2 loses a piece.

30.Nxd7

• The text is better than 30.Bxc5 when:
• After 30...Nf6 31.Bb4 Nf7 32.Ra1 Kg7 33.Ra7 White remains a pawn to the good and in full command.
• If 30...dxc5 31.Nxd7 Kg7 32.Ba4 Nf7 33.Rb7 has Black tied in knots.

30...fxe3 31.Nxe3 Bh6

• If 31...Be7 White increases her strength after 32.Ba4 Nf4 33.Kf1 Kf7 34.Nc4 Kg7 35.Ndxe5.

32.g4 Re7 33.Ba4 Nf4 34.Rb8 Kg7

• Black drops a piece.
• If 34...Nxh3+ then 35.Kg2 Nf4+ 36.Kf1 Rxd7 37.Bxd7 wins the exchange..

BLACK: Koneru Humpy
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WHITE: Hou Yifan
Position after 34...Kg8g7

35.Rxd8

• There is no way for Black to get compensation for the lost Knight.

35...Rf7 36.Nd1 Nxh3+ 37.Kg2

• More accurate is 37.Kf1 Bg5 38.Rb8.

37...Nf4+ 38.Kf1 Bg5 39.Rb8 Nd3 40.Rb6 Rf4

• 40...Be7 41.Ra6 h5 42.Bb5 Nf4 43.gxh5 leaves Black without compensation for the material deficit.

41.Bb5 Nxf2 42.Nxf2 Bh4 43.Rxd6 Rxf2+

• After 43...Rxf2+ Black is still a Knight in the hole.

44.Kg1 Rf4 45.Nxe5 Rxe4 46.Rd7+ Kg8

• No better is 46...Kf6 47.Nd3 c4 48.Nb4 Rxg4+ 49.Kf1 h5 50.Rc7.

47.Nf3 Rxg4+ 48.Kf1 Bf6 49.Rc7 g5

• 49...Rf4 50.Ke2 Bxc3 51.d6 Ba5 52.Rxc5 leaves White a piece to the good.

50.Rxc5 Rf4 51.Kg2 g4 52.Nd4 h5 53.Rc8+ Kf7 54.d6 h4 55.Be8+ 1-0

• After 55...Kg8 56.Ne6 Black cannot prevent Bg6+! except at the cost of a Rook.
• Grandmaster Koneru resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Stefanova - Cramling, Quarter-Final Round, Nalchik

Pia Cramling
Photo: ChessBase.com


Antoaneta Stefanova - Pia Cramling
FIDE Knock Out Women's Championship. Quarter-Final Round/Game 1
Nalchik, 7 September 2008

Slav Queen's Gambit: Schallopp Defense (Amsterdam Variation)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Bf5 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Qb3 Qc7 6.Nc3

• 6.Bb5+ Nd7 7.Bd2 e6 8.Nf3 Ngf6 9.0-0 a6 10.Rc1 Qb6 11.Be2 Bd6 12.Nc3 h6 13.Na4 Qxb3 14.axb3 Ne4 15.Ba5 0-0 16.b4 Rab8 17.Nc5 Ndf6 18.Bb6 Rfc8 is equal (Tkachiev-Wang Hao, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2008).

6...e6 7.Bd2

• 7.e4 Bxe4 8.Bf4 Qb6 9.Nb5 Na6 10.f3 Bg6 11.Rc1 Bb4+ 12.Kf2 Rd8 13.Bc7 Nxc7 14.Qxb4 Na6 15.Nc7+ Nxc7 16.Qxb6 axb6 17.Rxc7 Rb8 18.Bb5+ Kf8 19.Ne2 Ne7 20.Rhc1 f6 21.Nf4 Kf7 22.Rxe7+ Black resigns in the face of mate (I. Popov-Tairova, Young Stars, Kirishi, 2006).

7...Nc6 8.Rc1 Nf6 9.Nf3 Nd7

• 9...Be7 10.Bb5 0-0 11.0-0 Rfc8 12.Ne5 Nd7 13.f4 Ndxe5 14.fxe5 Bg6 15.Na4 Rab8 16.Nc5 is equal (Kovacevic-Dizdarevic, IT, Solin (Croatia), 2005).

10.Nh4 Bg6!?

• The text seems to lead to a slightly better position for White.
• 10...Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 13.Bg2 Be7 14.Nxg6 hxg6 15.e4 dxe4 16.Nxe4 Rd8 17.0-0 Qb6 18.Be3 Qxb3 19.axb3 Nb6 20.Rfd1 Nd5 21.Nc3 f6 22.Nxd5 draw (Zhidkov-Dzhakaev, Op, Tula (Russia), 2001).

11.Nxg6 hxg6 12.e4 Nxd4 13.Qa4 Nc6 14.exd5 exd5!?

• 14...Qe5+ 15.Be2 Nb6 16.Qb5 exd5 17.Na4 Bd6 18.Nxb6 axb6 19.Rxc6 bxc6 20.Qxc6+ Ke7 21.Qb7+ Ke6 22.Bc3 Qe4 23.f3 Qe3 24.Kd1 Rhb8 25.Qc6 Rc8 26.Qb7 Rxc3 27.bxc3 Rxa2 White resigns in the face of mate (Anastasian-Hillarp Persson, Ol, Bled, 2002).

BLACK: Pia Cramling
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Antoaneta Stefanova
Position after 14...ed5:p

15.Bf4!

• White has the advantage in space and the more active game.
• 15.Nxd5 Qe5+ 16.Ne3 Qxb2 17.Qe4+ Qe5 18.Qxe5+ Ncxe5 is equal.

15...Qd8 16.Nxd5

• If 16.Bb5 Nb6 17.Bxc6+ bxc6 18.Qxc6+ Qd7 19.Nb5 then:
• After 19...Rc8 20.Qxd7+ Kxd7 21.Ke2 White has the more active position.
• 19...Qxc6 20.Rxc6 Be7 21.Ke2 0-0 22.Rhc1 gives White more activity.

16...Nc5 17.Qc4 Ne6 18.Be3?!

• White begins a series of inferior moves which cost her the advantage and then hands it to Black.
• If 18.Qb5 Qd7 19.Rd1 then:
• 19...Ned4 20.Rxd4 Nxd4 21.Nc7+ Kd8 22.Qxd7+ Kxd7 23.Nxa8 gives White two Bishops on an open board.
• 19...Nxf4 20.Nf6+ gxf6 21.Rxd7 Bb4+ 22.Kd1 Kxd7 23.g3 is equal.

18...Bd6

• 18...Rh4 19.f4 Rh5 20.Rd1 Qa5+ 21.Nc3 is equal.

19.Rd1

• 19.Qb3 Qd7 20.Rd1 Rd8 21.Be2 Na5 22.Qc2 is more aggressive.

19...0-0 20.b4?!

• Some commentators give this move a ? rather than the next. It's a close call.
• If 20.Be2 Rc8 21.Qb3 Qa5+ 22.Bd2 Qc5 then:
• 23.Rc1 Ned4 24.Rxc5 Nxb3 25.Rc4 Nxd2 26.Kxd2 is equal.
• 23.Ne3 Ned4 24.Qd5 Qxd5 25.Nxd5 Rfe8 is equal.

20...Rc8 21.Qb3?

• After this, White is in deep trouble.
• If 21.Qb5 then:
• After 21...Nc7 22.Nxc7 Rxc7 23.a3 a6 24.Qd3 is equal.
• 21...Qh4 22.a3 Ncd4 23.Qxb7 Nc2+ is equal.

BLACK: Pia Cramling
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Antoaneta Stefanova
Position after 21.Qd1b3

21...Qh4!

• Black wins a pawn. White may have overlooked this move in her over-the-board analysis.

22.Bd3

• 22.Be2 Ncd4 23.Qb1 Nc2+ 24.Kf1 Nxe3+ 25.fxe3 Rfe8 gives Black the more active game.
• 22.a3 Ncd4 23.Qd3 Rfe8 24.Be2 Rc2 25.Rd2 Rc1+ also gives White more activity.

22...Nxb4 23.Bb1

• If 23.Nxb4 then 23...Bxb4+ 24.Kf1 Rc3 25.Qb1 Bc5 26.Bxc5 Nxc5 leaves Black with a tremendous position.

23...Nxd5 24.Rxd5

• If 24.Qxd5 then Black is still strong after 24...Bb4+ 25.Ke2 Nf4+ 26.Bxf4 Qxf4 27.g3 Qg4+.

24...Bb4+ 25.Kf1 Rc3 26.Qd1 Qc4+ 27.Kg1
BLACK: Pia Cramling
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Antoaneta Stefanova
Position after 27.Kf1g1

27...Bc5!

• Black wins material.

28.Rxc5

• White is forced to give up the exchange.
• 28.Rd3 Bxe3 29.Rxc3 Qxc3 leaves Black up a piece.
• If 28.Bxc5 Qxd5! then:
• 29.Qf1 Qxc5 leaves Black a whole Rook to the good.
• 29.Qxd5 loses immediately to 29...Rc1+.

28...Nxc5 29.h4

• If 29.Qd2 then after 29...Nd3 30.h3 b6 31.Kh2 Qc7+ 32.g3 Ne5 black has won the exchange.

29...Ne6 30.h5

• If 30.g3 then after 30...Rd8 31.Qf3 Rd2 32.Qe4 Rb2 33.Qxc4 Rxc4 White is toast.

30...Rd8 31.Qe1 Nf4 32.g3 Ne2+ 33.Kh2 Rd5

• Also good is 33...gxh5 34.Bg5 Re8 35.Bd2 Rf3 36.Bg5 Qg4 when it's time to put out the lights.

34.Kg2 Rxh5

• 34...Re5! 35.Rh4 Qc6+ 36.Kh2 Rexe3 37.fxe3 Rc1 wins faster.

35.Rxh5 gxh5 36.Qd2 g6 37.Qd8+ Kh7 38.Bxg6+

• This is simply deseration. White is now a Rook in the hole with not enough pieces on the board to sustain an attack.

38...fxg6 39.Qe7+ Kg8 40.Qe8+ Kg7 41.Qe7+ Qf7 42.Bh6+ Kg8 43.Qxe2

• For all her labor, White gets a piece back and is now down by only an exchange and a pawn.

43...Kh7 44.Be3 Qc4 45.Qd2

• 45.Qe1 h4 46.gxh4 Qg4+ 47.Kh2 Qxh4+ doesn't help White.

45...Rd3 46.Qe2 Qd5+ 47.f3 Ra3 48.Bf2 Qf7 49.Qe4

• No better is 49.Kg1 Rxa2 50.Qe5 Qg7 51.Qd5 Rc2 52.Qe4 Rc1+.

49...Rxa2 50.Kg1 Qc7

• Also good is the modest 50...a5 with the idea of advancing the passer.

51.g4 Qc1+ 52.Be1 Qc5+ 53.Kf1 Qb5+ 54.Kg1 Re2 0-1

• If 55.Qb4 then Black delivers mate soon after 55...Qd5 56.Qb3 Rxe1+.
• Grandmaster Stefanova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Koneru - Shen Yang, Quarter-Final Round, Nalchik

Koneru Humpy
Photo: ChessBase.com


Koneru Humpy - Shen Yang
FIDE Knock Out Women's Championship, Quarter-Final Round/Game 1
Nalchik, 7 September 2008

Slav Queen's Gambit: Tikhi Opening (Pin Defense)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.cxd5 Bxf3

• If 5...cxd5 6.Qb3 Qc7 7.Nc3 then:
• 7...Bxf3 8.gxf3 e6 9.Bd2 Nc6 10.Rc1 a6 11.Bd3 Be7 12.0-0 0-0 is equal (Sundararajan-Khaghani, Asian Ch U20, Tehran, 2001).
• 7...e6 8.Bb5+ Nc6 9.Bd2 Be7 10.Rc1 Bxf3 11.gxf3 0-0 12.f4 Rac8 13.Bd3 Qd7 14.Ne2 Bd6 15.f3 Bb8 16.0-0 Ne8 is equal (Lee-Taubenhaus, IT, New York, 1893).

6.Qxf3 cxd5 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Bd3 e6 9.0-0 Bd6

• 9...Be7 10.Bd2 0-0 11.Qe2 Nb4 12.Bb1 Rc8 13.Rc1 g6 14.a3 Nc6 15.Ba2 White is slightly better with more freedom (Belli-Shaw, Ol, Bled, 2002).

10.Bd2 0-0!?

• This is good enough for an equal game.
• 10...Qe7 11.Rac1 Rd8 12.Rfd1 0-0 13.Qe2 e5 14.dxe5 Qxe5 15.g3 Rfe8 16.Nb5 Qxb2 17.Rb1 Qe5 18.Bc3 Qe7 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Nxd6 Rxd6 draw (diCaro-Komarov, IT, Reggio Emilia, 2004).

11.Qh3

• 11.Rac1 Qb8 12.Qh3 Qd8 13.a3 Na5 14.Nb5 gives White the advantage in space.

11...Rc8 12.Rac1 g6

• 12...Re8 13.a3 Re7 14.Rc2 a6 15.Rfc1 is equal.

13.f4!?

• By this move, White announces her intention to expand on the queenside.
• 13.Rfd1 Nb4 14.Be2 Nc6 15.a3 Qe7 16.Rc2 is equal.

13...a6 14.g4 Kh8 15.Kh1 Rg8?

• Black seems unsettled by White's kingside aggression. Better is to get some counterplay going on the other wing.
• 15...Nd7 16.g5 Nb4 17.Be2 Nb6 18.a3 Nc6 is equal.

16.Be1 Be7 17.Bg3

• If 17.g5 then:
• 17...Nh5 18.Na4 Nb4 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.Bb1 b5 21.Nc5 gives White the advantage in space, but neither side has much freedom.
• 17...Ne8 18.Na4 Nb4 19.Bxb4 Bxb4 20.a3 Rxc1 21.Rxc1 gives White the advantage in space.

17...h5

• 17...Bf8 then:
• After 18.f5 exf5 19.gxf5 g5 20.Be5 Nxe5 21.dxe5 g4 22.Qh4 White has completely walked over Black's attempts to meet her advance head on.
• 18.g5?! Nh5 19.Be1 Ng7 is equal.

18.f5!?

• White sets up an interesting pawn sacrifice.
• Objectively better is 18.gxh5 g5 19.fxg5 Rxg5 20.Bh4 Rg7 ‚ with an overwhelming position.

21.h6 ]
18...Nxg4

• Black accepts the pawn.
• 18...Nb4?! 19.Be2 exf5 20.gxf5 Rf8 21.Be5 is very strong for White.
• 18...exf5 19.gxf5 Qd7 20.Qg2 g5 21.Be5 also gives White a powerful game./li]

19.fxg6 fxg6
BLACK: Shen Yang
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 19...fg6:p

20.Rf7!

• This is the point of the sacrifice. Black is tied up in knots.

20...Rg7 21.Bxg6 Rxg6

• Disastrous would be 21...Rxf7 when Black can resign right after 22.Bxf7 Qd7 23.Qxh5+ .

22.Qxh5+ Rh6 23.Qxg4!

• White is a pawn to the good with a winning position.

23...Qg8 24.Qf4 Bg5

• If 24...Qg6 25.Rg1 Qh5 26.e4 then:
• After 26...Rg8 27.Rf1 dxe4 28.Nxe4 Qg6 29.Qf3 White is still up by a pawn with a strong game.
• 26...Rh7 27.Rf6 Rg8 28.Rxe6 Rg4 29.Qe3 leaves White with two extra pawns.

25.Qf3 Rh7 26.Rxh7+

• If 26.Be5+? Nxe5 27.Rxh7+ Qxh7 28.dxe5 Qh6 is equal.

26...Qxh7

• If 26...Kxh7 then White wins after 27.Rg1 Qf8 28.Qh5+ .

BLACK: Shen Yang
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Koneru Humpy
Position after 26...Qg8h7:R

27.Nxd5!!

• A pretty sacrifice puts the cap on the game.

27...exd5 28.Be5+ Kg8 29.Rg1 Nxe5 30.Rxg5+ Ng6 31.Qxd5+ 1-0

• If 31...Kf8 then 32.Qf5+ Qf7 33.Qxc8+ wins a piece.
• If 31...Kh8 then 32.Rh5 wins the Queen.
• WGM Shen resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Carlsen - Aronian, Round 6, Bilbao

Magnus Carlsen
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Levon Aronian
Grand Slam Chess Final, Round 6
Bilbao, 8 September 2008

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Meran Defense

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.a3 b4

• If 9...a6 10.b4 a5 11.Rb1 axb4 12.axb4 then:
• If 12...Nd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.0-0 then:
• 14...Bd6 15.e4 dxe4 16.Bxe4 Nf6 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.d5 cxd5 20.Bxd5 Bxd5 21.Qxd5 0-0 22.Qxb5 Rab8 gives White an extra pawn (Feingold-Shulman, No Amer Invitational, Schaumburg, 2006).
• 14...Nf6 15.Ne5 Bd6 16.Qc2 Qc7 17.Bb2 0-0 18.Rfc1 Qb6 19.Bf5 Ra6 20.Nd3 Bc8 21.Nc5 Bxf5 22.Qxf5 Ra7 23.Rc2 Qc7 is equal (Greenfeld-Haimovich, IT, Tel Aviv, 2001).
• 12...Bd6 13.0-0 Qe7 14.Bd2 0-0 15.e4 e5 16.Ne2 Rfd8 17.Ng3 exd4 18.Nf5 Qf8 19.Re1 Ng4 20.h3 Nge5 21.Bf4 Ra3 22.Nxe5 Nxe5 23.Nxd6 Qxd6 gives Black more space (Adianto-Zhu Chen, IT, Jakarta, 2004).

10.Ne4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 bxa3 12.0-0

• 12.bxa3 Bd6 13.Rb1 Qc7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Qc2 h6 16.Bb2 Rfc8 17.Rfc1 Rab8 18.h3 c5 is equal (Ribli-Agdestein, Bundesliga, Germany, 1999).

12...Nf6

• If 12...Bd6 then:
• If 13.b3 Nf6 14.Nd2 then:
• If 14...Qc7 15.Bf3 Bxh2+ 16.Kh1 Bd6 17.Nc4 Be7 18.Bxa3 0-0 then:
• 19.Bxe7 Qxe7 20.Ra5 Rfd8 21.Kg1 c5 22.Rxc5 Ne4 23.Bxe4 Bxe4 is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, World Ch M Rd 4, Elista, 2006).
• If 19.Bc5 Rfd8 20.b4 Bxc5 21.bxc5 a5 22.Re1 Ba6 23.Nb6! the Knight at b6 is like a monkey wrench thrown into Black's machinery (Aronian-Grischuk, Grand Prix, Sochi, 2008).
• 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxh2+ 16.Kxh2 Qh4+ 17.Kg1 Qxe4 18.f3 Qg6 19.Bxa3 h5 20.Qe1 h4 21.Bc5 a6 22.Qa5 h3 23.Ra2 f6 24.e4 Rc8 25.Qb6 Qf7 26.g4 Qd7 27.Kh2 Kf7 28.Re2 draw (Korotylev-Malakhov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• If 13.b4 Nf6 14.Bd3 then:
• 14...a5 15.b5 c5 16.Bxa3 cxd4 17.Nxd4 Bxa3 18.Rxa3 is equal (Aldy-Gaponenko, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
• If 14...Nd5 15.Bxa3 Nxb4 16.Bxb4 Bxb4 17.Ba6 then:
• 17...Rb8 18.Bxb7 Rxb7 19.Qa4 0-0 20.Qxc6 is equal (Mamedyarov-Modiaki, Areoflot Op, Moscow, 2005).
• 17...Qb6 18.Qd3 0-0 19.Rfb1 c5 20.Ng5 g6 21.dxc5 Bxa6 22.Rxa6 Qxc5 23.Ne4 Qe7 gives White more than enough space to compensate for the pawn (Hillarp Persson-Nielsen, IT, Malmø, 2004).

13.Bd3 axb2

• After 13...Be7 14.bxa3 0-0 then:
• 15.Rb1 Qc7 16.e4 c5 17.Bf4 Qc8 18.Bg5 cxd4 19.Qb3 Bc6 20.Rfc1 White is not missing the pawn in the least (Calleri-Nemec, Corres, 1999).
• If 15...Qc8 16.e4 c5 17.e5 Nd5 18.Qc2 h6 19.dxc5 Rb8 20.Qc4 Rd8 21.Bd2 Bxc5 is equal (Peralta-Real, Argentine Ch, Mendoza, 2008).

14.Bxb2 a5

• 14...Bb4 15.Ba3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3 0-0 17.Qc2 Qc7 18.Ne5 gives White more than enough space to make up for the pawn minus (Fressinet-Palac, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2006).

15.d5?!

• White introduces a pawn sacrifice which seems of little merit.
• 15.Qa4 Bb4 16.Ba3 Nd5 17.e4 Nb6 18.Qb3 Qe7 19.Rab1 Bxa3 20.Qxb6 Bb4 21.Ne1 0-0 22.Nc2 Rfd8 23.Nxb4 axb4 24.Qxb4 Qxb4 25.Rxb4 Ba6 26.Bxa6 draw (Gelfand-Kramnik, World Ch Trmt, Mexico City, 2007).

15...Nxd5!

• Black finds the best continuation.
• 15...exd5?! 16.Qa4 Nd7 17.Qc2 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 19.e4 is equal.

16.Ne5 Nf6 17.Qa4 Bb4?!

• Black neglects the pawn at c6, allowing White to turn the game around immediately.
• If 17...Qd6! 18.Rfc1 Qb4 then:
• 19.Nxc6 Qxa4 20.Rxa4 Bxc6 21.Rxc6 Bb4 Black remains a pawn to the good with more freedom.
• 19.Qc2 Qb6 20.Nc4 Qd8 21.Rd1 Nd5 gives Black two extra pawns.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 17...Bf8b4

18.Nxc6!

• White accepts the sacrifice and proceeds to refute it.
• 18.Rfd1?! Qb6 19.Rac1 Bc5 20.Nc4 Qc7 is equal.

18...Bxc6 19.Qxc6+ Ke7 20.Rfd1 Rc8!?

• Black plays actively hoping to entice White into an error.
• Better is 20...Qb8! 21.Qf3 Ra7 22.Bd4 Rd7 with equality.

21.Qf3!

• White doesn't take the bait.
• 21.Qb7+ Qc7 22.Qf3 Bd6 23.h3 Rb8 is equal.

21...Qb6 22.Bd4?!

• This inaccuracy throws away much of White's advantage.
• 22.Rab1 Qc7 23.e4 Rcd8 24.Rbc1 Qb7 25.Qg3 gives White the more active game.

22...Qb8 23.Ba6 Rcd8

• Black has equalized.

24.Bb7 h5 25.h3

• 25.Qc6 Ng4 26.f4 Rd6 27.Bc5 Rhd8 28.Rxd6 Rxd6 remains equal.

25...h4?

• The text allows White to take the initiative.
• 25...e5 26.Bb6 Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Re8 28.Qc6 gives White much more freedom.

26.Rab1 e5

• If 26...Rh6 then White wins by 27.Rxb4 axb4 28.Bc5+ Ke8 29.Bc6+.

BLACK: Levon Aronian
!""""""""#
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WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 26...e6e5

27.Rxb4!!

• Although down a pawn, White sacrifices the exchange and gets a vicious attack.

27...axb4 28.Bc5+ Ke6 29.Ra1!

• White threatens 30.Ra6+ Rd6 31.Rxd6+ Qxd6 32.Bxd6 Kxd6 33.Qc6+ winning.

29...Rd6

• Black is forced to return the exchange, but his position is lost.

30.Bxd6 Kxd6 31.Qc6+

• Also good is 31.Ra8 Qxa8 32.Bxa8 Rxa8 33.Qxa8 leaving White a Rook to the good.

31...Ke7 32.Ra8!

• White wins a Rook.

32...Qd6

• Black could have resigned here.

33.Qxd6+

• Also good is 33.Rxh8 Qxc6 34.Bxc6, winning the Rook

33...Kxd6 34.Rxh8

• Having sacrificed the exchange earlier, White is now a Rook to the good.

34...b3 35.Ba6 Nd7 36.Rxh4 Nc5 1-0

• Grandmaster Aronian resigns without waiting for Magnus to reply.

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Carlsen - Ivanchuk, Round 7, Bilbao

This game is between the two hottest players of 2008.



Vassily Ivanchuk
Photo: ChessBase.com


Magnus Carlsen - Vassily Ivanchuk
Grand Slam Chess Final, Round 7
Bilbao, 9 September 2008

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Harrwitz Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bf4

• 5.Bg5 is the root of a legion of variations.

5...0-0 6.e3 c5

• If 6...Nbd7 7.c5 c6 then:
• If 8.Bd3 b6 9.b4 a5 10.a3 Ba6 11.0-0 Qc8 12.h3 Qb7 13.Qc2 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 then:
• 14...Ra7 15.Rfc1 axb4 16.axb4 Rfa8 17.Rab1 b5 18.Nd2 h6 19.Nb3 Bd8 draw (Arencibia-Asrian, TT, Beer Sheva, 2005).
• 14...axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Rxa1 Ra8 17.Qb1 Bd8 is equal (van Wely-Karpov, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2001).
• 8.h3 b6 9.b4 a5 10.a3 Ba6 11.Bxa6 Rxa6 12.b5 cxb5 13.c6 Qc8 14.c7 b4 15.Nb5 a4 16.Rc1 Ne4 17.Nd2 Nc3 18.Nxc3 bxc3 19.Rxc3 b5 is equal (van Wely-Jussupow, IT, Wolvega, 2006).
• If 6...b6 7.cxd5 exd5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 c5 10.Ne5 Nc6 11.Qf3 cxd4 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.exd4 Qd7 14.Be5 b5 15.Bf5 Qb7 16.Qh3 g6 17.Qh6 Rfe8 18.Nd1 Bd7 19.Ne3 Nh5 20.Bxd7 Qxd7 21.Nc2 Qf5 22.Qd2 is equal (Gelfand-Ljubojovic, Amber Rapidm Monte Carlo, 2003).
• 11.Rc1 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 c4 13.Bb1 Bc6 14.f3 b5 draw (Petrosian-Filip, Candidates' Trmt, Curaçao, 1962).

7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 Qa5 10.0-0-0

• 10.Rd1 Be7 11.Nd2 e5 12.Bg5 d4 13.Nb3 Qd8 14.Be2 a5 15.Na4 g6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.0-0 Qc7 18.c5 Be6 19.e4 Ne7 20.Nd2 Bg5 21.Nf3 Bh6 is equal (Ftacnik-Kotronias, Ol, Thessaloniki, 1988).

10...Be7 11.h4

• If 11.g4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 then:
• If 12...e5 13.g5 exf4 14.gxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Ne7 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Rhg1+ Kh8 then:
• If 18.Qe4 Ng6 19.Qd4 Qb6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Rd6 then:
• 21...fxe3 22.fxe3 Ra5 23.Kd2 Rf5 24.Rf1 Rc5 25.Bd3 Rc6 26.Rxc6 bxc6 27.b4 Rd8 28.Rc1 Ne5 29.Nd4 Nxd3 30.Kxd3 Bd7 31.Ke4 Re8+ 32.Kf4 Rc8 33.Nf5 draw (Kasparov-Khalifman. IT, Reggio Emilia, 1991).
• 21...Bh3 22.Bd5 fxe3 23.fxe3 Rac8+ 24.Kb1 Rcd8 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Bxf7 Bf5+ 27.Ka2 gives White more activity (Beliavsky-Jussupow, IT, Dortmund, 1998).
• 18.e4 b5 19.Bd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 b4 21.axb4 Qa1+ 22.Kd2 Qa6 23.Qc6 Rd8 24.Kc3 Bb7 25.Qxa6 Bxa6 26.Rd4 Rac8+ 27.Kd2 Bb7 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Kxc1 Kg7 30.Nh4 Rxd5 31.Rxd5 Bxd5 is equal (Anand-Kramnik, Rapid Trmt, León, 2002).
• 12...Nxg4 13.Rhg1 Qh5 14.h3 Nf6 15.Ng5 e5 16.Be2 Qg6 17.Nge4 exf4 18.Rxg6 hxg6 19.Ng5 fxe3 20.fxe3 Ne5 21.Kb1 Bd7 22.Qb3 b5 23.Bxb5 Rab8 24.Qa4 Rb7 25.Bxd7 Nfxd7 26.Qh4 Bxg5 27.Qxg5 Nc4 28.Na4 Rfb8 29.Ka1 Nxb2 draw (Zhukova-Melia, City Op, Moscow, 2008).

11...Rd8

• 11...a6 12.Ng5 Rd8 13.cxd5 exd5 14.e4 Nxe4 15.Ngxe4 dxe4 16.Rxd8+ Qxd8 17.Qxe4 is equal (Gelfand-Karpov, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 1998).

12.Nd2 a6!?

• 12...dxc4 13.Nxc4 Rxd1+ 14.Qxd1 Qd8 15.Qxd8+ Nxd8 16.Be2 gives White more freedom (Topalov-Kramnik, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2007).

13.Be2?

• It is reported that Magnus put the blame for his loss on this move; he is probably right.
• 13.Bd3 Qb6 14.g4 Kh8 15.cxd5 exd5 is equal.

13...b5 14.cxd5 exd5 15.g4 Be6

• Black stablizes his central pawn.
• 15...d4? 16.Nb3 Qb6 17.Nxd4 Bxg4 18.Bxg4 Nxg4 is equal.

16.Nb3

• 16.g5 Ne4 17.Ndxe4 dxe4 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Nxe4 Bd5 gives Black more freedom and activity.

16...Qb6 17.g5
BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
!""""""""#
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$ + + B P%
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$ Oq+bP +%
$+ Kr+ +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 17.g4g5

17...Ne4!

• Black's plan is to dominate the center and open lines for a direct attack on the White King position.
• The text is more direct than 17...Ng4 18.Bf3 Rac8 19.g6 fxg6 20.Rxd5 b4,

18.Nxe4

• There is little better than to assist Black in opening up the center.
• 18.Bd3 Nxc3 19.Bxh7+ Kh8 20.bxc3 Bxa3+ 21.Kd2 b4 gives Black more space and mobility.

18...dxe4!

• Black opens the center.

19.Rxd8+ Nxd8

• Black wins faster after 19...Rxd8! 20.Nd2 b4 21.Nc4 Bxc4 22.Qxc4 bxa3,

20.Kb1

• If 20.Qxe4 then 20...Bxb3 21.Qxa8 Qc5+ 22.Kb1 Bd5! wins a piece.

20...Rc8 21.Qd1

• If 21.Qxe4 Bxb3 then:
• 22.Bd3 Qg6 23.Qxg6 hxg6 24.e4 Ne6 Black wins.
• If 22.Qxe7 then Black wins easily after 22...Qc6 23.e4 Ne6 24.Rc1 Qxe4+,

21...Nc6 22.h5 a5 23.g6

• If 23.Nd2 then Black continues to hold the advantage after 23...a4 24.Bg4 Nd8 25.Bxe6 Qxe6,

23...a4 24.Nd2

• 24.Nd4 Nxd4 25.Qxd4 Qc6 26.gxh7+ Kxh7 threatens 27...Qc2+.

24...b4 25.gxf7+

• If 25.gxh7+ then Black wins after 25...Kxh7 26.Qxa4 bxa3 27.b3 Nb4 28.Qxa3 Nd5,

25...Bxf7 26.Nc4 Qb7 27.Qxa4

• After 27.Nd6 Bxd6 28.Qxd6 bxa3 29.Qxa3 Nb4 30.Bg4 Ba2+! Black wins the Queen however White responds.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk
!""""""""#
$ +t+ +l+%
$+w+ VvOo%
$ +m+ + +%
$+ + + +p%
$qOn+oB +%
$P + P + %
$ P + P +%
$+k+ + +r%
/(((((((()
WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 27.Qd1a4:p

27...bxa3!

• The text is better than 27...Ra8 28.Qb3 Qc8 29.axb4 Nxb4,

28.Nxa3 Bxa3 29.Qxa3 Nb4 30.b3

• 30.Bg4 Ra8 31.Rd1 Ba2+! also wins the Queen.

30...Nd3 31.Bxd3 exd3 32.Rc1 d2 0-1

• 33.Rg1 Bxb3 34.Bd6 Bc2+ 35.Ka1 Ra8 wins the Queen.
• Magnus resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Update (Monday Night): Kosteniuk leads Hou; Three tied in EU Open

Kosteniuk leads Hou in Women's Knock Out Final



Grandmaster Alexandra Kosteniuk leads 14-year-old WGM Hou Yifan 1½-½ after two games in the final round of the FIDE Knock Out Tournament to name the new women's world champion in Nalchik in the Russian Caucacus.

Ms. Kosteniuk won the first game of the match Sunday while today's game was drawn. Game three will be played tomorrow starting at 3 pm Nalchik time (3 am PDT). The game will be broadcast live at the event's official website.

The fourth game will be played Wednesday and, if the match is tied after four games, a rapid/blitz playoff will take place Thursday.


Three tied in EU Open in Liverpool


My Space Graphics

Grandmasters Mickey Adams of England, Jan Werle of Holland and Viktor Laznicka of Czechia are tied for first place after seven rounds of the European Union Open in Liverpool.

Each player has 6 points. Dutch grandmaster Erwin L'Ami is alone in fourth place with 5½ points.

The event is scheduled for ten rounds and concludes Thursday.